Claims that the prosecutor in the 'Newborn Gang' case was removed: Statement from Minister Tunç

It was alleged that Public Prosecutor Yavuz Engin, who dismantled the 'Newborn Gang' in Istanbul—led by Doctor Fırat Sarı, who was previously convicted for membership in the terrorist organization PKK—had been removed from the case file.

Lawyer İrem Çiçek also claimed on her X account that Engin had been removed from the case:

Büyükçekmece Public Prosecutor Yavuz Engin, who enabled us to learn about the 'Newborn Gang' and performed his duty in the best possible way, has been removed from the case.

This development has raised doubts in my mind regarding the fate of the file and the investigations to be conducted upon new complaints.

Do not forget this file, for the sake of our babies first and then for public health; follow it, read it, and question it.

STATEMENT FROM MINISTER TUNÇ REGARDING THE 'NEWBORN GANG' PROSECUTOR

Reports claiming that Public Prosecutor Yavuz Engin, who is conducting the investigation file known to the public as the 'Newborn Gang,' has been removed from his post are untrue.

The indictment prepared in the investigation conducted by the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has been sent to the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, where the relevant High Criminal Court is located, because the crime falls under the jurisdiction of the High Criminal Court.

A public lawsuit has been filed against the suspects at the Bakırköy High Criminal Court.

There is no question of our Public Prosecutor being removed from his post; he continues his duties at the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Furthermore, the investigation regarding the threatening of the Büyükçekmece Public Prosecutor and, in the same matter, regarding other suspects, is being meticulously conducted at the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

It is also a great irresponsibility for the spokesperson of the main opposition party to share fake news containing disinformation aimed at undermining the judiciary on social media without verifying its accuracy.

STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

Sources from the Ministry of Justice made a statement regarding the claim about Engin.

The Ministry stated that there is no question of Engin being removed from his post. It was reported that the main investigation has been completed and sent to the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and the lawsuit has been filed.

The Ministry reported that the investigation of the file regarding a few suspects continues at the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

It was stated that another prosecutor is conducting the investigation that includes the suspect who threatened the prosecutor. It was expressed that there is no question of removal from the case or a change of duty.

Ministry of Justice sources made the following statement:

"There is no question of the prosecutor being removed from his post.

The main investigation was completed and sent to the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and the lawsuit was filed.

The investigation of the file regarding a few suspects is already continuing at the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Since the suspect who threatened the prosecutor is also involved in this investigation, another Public Prosecutor is conducting that investigation.

There is no such thing as removal from the case or a change of duty."

WHO IS PROSECUTOR YAVUZ ENGİN?

Prosecutor Yavuz Engin was born in Germany in 1989. He completed his primary and secondary education at Bolu 50. Yıl Secondary School and his high school education at Bolu İzzet Baysal Anatolian High School in 2008. He began his university education at Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 2009 and graduated in 2013.

Following his graduation, he completed his legal internship at the Istanbul Bar Association and began his professional career as a prosecutor candidate in 2014. After his internship, he was appointed to the Saruhanlı Public Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutor Engin was promoted to the position of Büyükçekmece Public Prosecutor by the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) in April 2024.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

While conducting the investigation into the illicit profits gained by transferring babies to private hospitals, lawyer A.A., who met with Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigation Prosecutor Y.E. on August 30, first by phone and then in his office, threatened the prosecutor that an assassination would be carried out against him and his family could be harmed if he did not release certain suspects.

Within the scope of the investigation launched upon this, research was conducted on how information regarding the prosecutor's relatives and their places of residence was leaked, and a recording device was placed in the prosecutor's office.

It was recorded that Mustafa Kemal Zengin, with whom lawyer A.A. was found to be in contact, clearly threatened the prosecutor he met with death.

In the examination conducted, it was understood that the prosecutor's personal and family information had been queried from the system by 3 gendarmerie personnel on a date prior to the threat.

11 people were detained in the operation organized within the scope of the investigation.

On the other hand, the indictment prepared against 47 suspects, including doctors and nurses, 22 of whom are under arrest, who were determined to have acted in concert with people working at the 112 Emergency Call Center to transfer baby emergency patients to the neonatal units of private hospitals they had pre-arranged with to obtain illicit profits—a case led by prosecutor Y.E.—had been sent to the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

News Source: 12punto